Online Law Degrees - Online Law Degree

Look Into Pursuing Online Law Degrees

Online law degrees are few and far between because the American Bar Association (ABA) doesn't accredit any online programs, and all states except California require you to attend a recognized institute. That doesn't mean it's impossible though; you simply need to live in California or at least start your career there and then move to another state once you have some legal experience. For the convenience and facility of studying online, it might be worth the trouble.

Online Law Degree Options

The Juris Doctor Degree is the first law degree and the one you want to start with, which is basically a 3-4 year bachelor's degree. The Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California however will not accredit any online programs, so you can get a Juris Doctor degree online, but you will have to take a roundabout route to use it in other states. Online programs offering this degree must register with the committee, but of course without being accredited, registration doesn't confirm if they are good quality programs or not. You will therefore need to do some extensive research into the online program of your choice to be sure it is a good course, since the committee won't speak for any of them. Once you find a program that is registered with the committee, the requirement is to complete 864 study hours per year to obtain your degree and be eligible to take the bar. Your 4 year program will include studies in legal writing, criminal justice, government processes and civil procedures amongst other subjects that will be included on the bar.

Passing the Bar

Before you can take the bar, you will need to pass a character evaluation, as well as 2 other exams testing your knowledge and conduct. You can then finally sit the California bar exam, which is a 3 day exam filled with essay questions and a variety of other exercises. Once passed, you can be a practicing lawyer in California, but if you want to practice in other states, you have a few options. You can attend an accredited school to get your Master of Law degree, which may only take you 2 years and will prepare you for other states' bar exams, or you can work in California for 5-7 years which is usually the minimum time necessary before you can attempt to take the bar in another state. The Master of Law Degree can also be done online, and usually has a specialization in a particular subject, for example focusing on taxation and therefore taking advanced courses in IRS procedures and tax research techniques. Having the legal experience however will substitute for not having attended an accredited school. Online law degrees therefore can be beneficial, but you must do considerable research to know how to go about using them to your advantage.

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